Tuesday, August 31, 2010

A-Team visit - Part 4 Around the campfire

At the end of an activity filled day at the farm, rain or shine, cold night air or warm, we looked forward to gathering around the campfire before heading off to bed. We had more than our fair share of rain during this trip, but always managed to find enough dry wood to start a fire and eventually got a fine blaze roaring in the fire pit.

Smudge liked playing with the sparklers the A Team got for an anniversary gift, and she also liked toasting marshmallows, singing campfire songs and helping Auntie Ally add sticks to the fire.
Eventually Smudge was shipped off to bed and the adults enjoyed a brew or two or some wine, while visiting around the fire. I think there was some strange smoke swirling around us this one night too, and AC and I were caught in endless gales of laughter and silly chatter.
The girls said I kept zinging out one-liners and thought I was the stand-up Queen. AC laughed at all my jokes and commiserated with me when I stated that I wouldn't be snow-boarding in the Olympics this year. What a hoot!
The girls got into the fun too, and echoes of laughter pealed out into the night.
We eventually let the fire die down and made tracks to our tents to drift off to dreamland for the night.
We had sooooooo much fun.

Monday, August 30, 2010

A -Team visit - Part 3 - Putting up the tents

After lunch it was time to put up the tents. The A Team chose a spot down by the river, and after they helped us pitch our tent...
all the gang gathered there to help them get the job done.
Even the kids got into the act. Jboy wanted inside the tent while Smudge ran around helping with directions on how to blow up the air mattress.
Jinu did his best to help Grandpa Brian and Auntie Ally blow up the air mattress.
Smudge looked on intently...
while Jboy helped Auntie Aly with left over tent pegs.
Jinu came over to help Jboy, while Auntie Aly and Auntie Sarah visited.
Lots of fun was had by all.
Meanwhile back at the farmhouse I was putting the finishing touches on our tent.
While the A Team chose a spot down by the river, AC and I chose a spot up near the farmhouse. The pic below was taken from the side door of the house, so we were close enough to the house to make it easy to get in on rainy mornings, and we had quite a few of those. Sigh! The little multi-coloured tents were for the kids to play in, and they had a blast doing just that.
Even though we were close to the house, we still had a pretty spot with a great view of the Playner Mil. You can just see a corner of it through the trees in the pic below.
Yes, we had a real pretty spot...
and in spite of a small leak during a very rainy first night in the tent, we enjoyed sleeping in the great outdoors. Once I closed the vents on the roof of the inner tent, we were snug and dry for the rest of the adventure.

Sunday, August 29, 2010

A-Team visit - Part 2

We arrived at Riverwood around lunch time, and everyone was oh so happy to get out of the car and stretch. Jboy wasn't too sure about all the strange people awaiting hugs and hellos so he stuck pretty close to Mommy while she unloaded the car. Uncle Brian got down to greet the munchkin, but Jboy wasn't quite ready for hugs.
His sister on the other hand was ready to run and stretch and play ball with Cousin Jinu and Auntie Laura.
The back yard provides lots of running room for those little legs...
and she covered it from one corner to the next...
and even ventured over to the side yard. Jinu tried to follow on hands and knees at one point...
but we soon coaxed them back to the main yard where we could keep an eye on them from the kitchen window.
We let them run and play until lunch time so they could work up a good appetite.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

A-Team visit - Part 1

OK, here we go again. We just got home from our trip to Riverwood with the A Team and I don't think I took 1000 pics, but took quite a few! Now that the family has scattered back to Toronto and Vancouver again I will post lots of pics here for them all to see. Just fair warning that holiday pics will be the main topic of posts for the next few days.

Smudge was very pleased to see the Aunties at breakfast before we set off for the long drive to Riverwood.
Amma was happy to get up close and personal with D3 and D2 too.
No, we didn't plan our outfits to match that day, but they did. Now I need to find a pink bow for my hair!
Somebody looks pleased doesn't she?
Time to colour with Auntie Aly.
D1 and Dad enjoy a snuggle...
then Mommy and son!
Smudge gets a whole new outlook on the world while Auntie Ally looks on.
Amma just enjoys watching all her family together.

Friday, August 27, 2010

Nice Surprise

I was at home one day a couple of weeks ago and was busy blowing my hair dry after my shower when I thought I heard the doorbell. Hmmmm, who could that be at this time of day? With a couple of bright pink rollers in my hair and not a speck of make-up on my face I went to the front door expecting to tell a solicitor that "I wasn't interested! Thank you very much," and then continue on with my task of getting ready to go over to the kid's place to take up the babysitting task so AC could take a break.

I peeked through the glass in the front door and was given the nicest surprise I have had in a long time. There stood my two, dear, next-door neighbours from Sarnia. I used to babysit Ashley when she was a little munchkin, and here she was all grown up now standing on my doorstep with her dad. They were on a father-daughter trip to the Nation's capital before she starts university this fall and they stopped in to say hello before they made tracks back home to Sarnia. What a nice surprise!
I greeted them with the flaming pink rollers in my hair, visited for a bit, then sent them over to the kid's place to visit with AC while I ditched the rollers and fixed my face. I joined them a few minutes later, and we spent a delightful afternoon catching up on old times and learning about new times and the big adventure that Ashley will be taking this fall at school. Seems like just yesterday that I was babysitting her, and now here she is skipping off to university. Yikes!
Smudge was at nursery school so she missed out on the photo op, but Jboy was more than happy to pose for a pic or two.
Ah what sweet memories we share.
Wishing you all the best this year at school Ashley. Now, Deb and Jordan - it's your turn to visit!

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Day 6 Yarmouth NS - Part 9 Time to say Goodbye

On the way home from the beach we stopped to meet friends of our friends and toured their large garden.
We were served cold drinks and delicious home made cookies while we visited in their beautiful yard. Some of which can be seen behind AC and Minny in the pic below.
The husband was a wood carver...
and the wife a quilter. Talented huh? There are oh so many talented quilters in the Maritimes. My friend being one of them. I wish I had taken a picture of her latest quilt. It was a real beauty. Maybe she'll send me a picture of it, or a bunch of them, and I'll post them for you. (Hint, hint, hint) She is the most amazing quilter I know.
I am not sure when we visited this gift shop, but think it was that afternoon, and I purchased a few gifts to bring home with me from this shop.
After our busy day, it was time to go home and relax in the garden while St Paul got busy making dinner. Rappie Pie!
Sounds good doesn't it? I didn't know why St Paul kept smiling like he was playing a joke on us each time he said he was making us Rappie Pie for dinner. It's just chicken and potatoes he would say and then smile. Hmmm? What's up with that?

Well it smelled good baking in the oven, and it looked OK on the plate, but let me just say that the texture was something I had a hard time getting past and....we ordered pizza for dinner!

After dinner we went out for our last walk around the town and...yes, took a few more pictures before we said goodbye. We had to check these lobster traps in front of the town hall to make sure they were empty
Ah, the peace and calm of sitting at the waterfront just before sunset, enjoying the company of a good friend.
The memories of all the good times we have shared cascaded around us like the water in this fountain...
and new memories were tucked inside our hearts to take with us as we each went our separate way again.
Goodbye Yarmouth. We enjoyed our visit and will be back again soon.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Day 6 Yarmouth NS - Part 8 Beach cont'd

The wind played tug-of-war with my hat, the waves rolled in and out, the sun shone, and we enjoyed every minute of our afternoon at the beach.
We passed kids making wonderful Sand Castles...
stopped to mourn this sea creature and wonder at it's beauty...
then wandered along the water's edge to see if we could discover more treasures.
Once we tired of walking the beach we climbed the stairs back to the car and...
ventured across the road to explore the Living Marsh.We looked for herons, but they must have been napping when we were there...
so we said farewell and went in search of lunch. All that fresh air and sunshine made us hungry. Not far from the beach we found the most delightful restaurant with this fabulous view of the beach.
We were seated at a table by the window....

and enjoyed talking with our hosts about all the neat things that we had seen...
and of course take a few more pictures....
before chowing down on some delicious chowder.
MMMMMM good.